Do you want to indulge
in nightly desserts but stay trim and fit, too? We have a solution for
you: high-protein and healthy desserts. It’s the only way to have the
best of both worlds, because no one should have to abstain from sweet
treats all the time, but you still don’t want to negate all of your hard
work in the gym. Luckily, there are a number of recipes that aren’t as
indulgent as ice cream and chocolate cake but still will help you
appease your sweet tooth. We’re rounding up seven recipes we found
around the web that are not only low in calories and fat, but are also
high in protein, and dare we say, good for you. Give one of these a try
and see if you can get down with the novel concept of healthy dessert.
Source: iStock
This first sweet treat took the Internet by storm when
recipe developers first discovered it. If you want to eat healthy but
have your ice cream, too, Banana Soft Serve is the ticket. It
requires just one ingredient and that would be bananas. Blend your
bananas in a high-speed food processor for three minutes or more, and
then prepare yourself for the creamy faux ice cream goodness you’re
about to enjoy. You can either serve your Banana Soft Serve on its own,
with various toppings, or take a page from Modern Granola’s book and cover it with a homemade vanilla sauce.
Ingredients:
- 1½ Cup frozen sliced bananas
Directions: Puree
the bananas in a food processor or high-powered blender for 3 minutes
or more. You may need to scrape down the sides a few times or break up a
large chunk as you go. When completely smooth and pale in color, serve.
Source: iStock
Here’s another high-protein dessert you can eat with a spoon. Enter: Chia Protein Pudding from Run Eat Repeat.
This recipe requires only four ingredients, and it’s gluten-free.
Simply blend your banana, protein powder, chia seeds, and milk, and
you’re good to go. You’ll have a high protein sweet treat on your hands
in no time, and this is one that definitely doesn’t come with a side of
guilt.
Ingredients:
- 1 ripe banana
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 2 tablespoons protein powder
- ¾ cup almond milk
Directions: Blend
banana, protein powder, and almond milk. Pour into a container and stir
in chia seeds. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours to set, or overnight.
3. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Protein Bites
Source: iStock
Next up are cookie dough bite look-alikes that you can eat without fear of salmonella. This recipe comes from Sweet Treats and More,
and it yields dough balls that are made from nuts, oats, and protein
powder. It’s up to you whether you use almonds or cashews in your Cookie
Dough Protein Bites – just don’t forget the chocolate chips. Now you
can get your cookie dough (and protein) fix without derailing your diet.
Ingredients:
- ⅔ cup raw cashews or almonds
- ⅓ cup oats
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or agave nectar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup milk chocolate chips
Directions: Grind nuts and oats in a food processor until turns into a powdery, flour like texture.
Add syrup,vanilla, and protein powder and process until
smooth. Stir in chocolate chips. Roll into one-inch balls and store in
refrigerator.
4. Almond Fudge Protein Bars
Source: iStock
Or, you can serve up your protein in the form of fudge. Try these No-Bake Almond Fudge Protein Bars from Running With Spoons
and prepare for your mind to be blown. Most fudge is full of butter,
condensed milk, and additives, but this treat is made only with
wholesome ingredients like oats, rice cereal, almond butter, and honey.
Add in ⅓ cup of protein powder for a little kick of power. This recipe
yields 12 bars and doesn’t require the use of your oven, making it the
perfect food formula for the hot hazy days of summer.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup oats, ground into a flour
- ½ cup quick oats
- ⅓ cup vanilla protein powder
- ½ cup crispy rice cereal
- ½ cup almond butter (or peanut butter)
- ⅓ cup honey
- 1 teaspoon. vanilla extract
- Optional: 2 to 3 tablespoons chocolate chips for melting
Directions: Prepare a 9-by-5 loaf pan by spraying it with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine oat flour, quick
oats, protein powder, and crispy rice cereal. Mix until well combined
and set aside.
In a small pan over medium heat, add almond butter and
honey, stirring until the almond butter is melted and fully combined
with the honey. Stir in vanilla extract. Remove from heat and pour into
the dry mixture. Stir until everything is fully combined.
Pour into prepared loaf pan. Using a spatula or your hands, spread the mixture evenly in the pan, pressing down firmly.
Optional: Place chocolate into a microwave safe bowl and
microwave on high in 20 second intervals, mixing between each. When
chocolate is fully melted, drizzle over the top of the packed mix using a
spoon. Place pan into fridge and allow to cool for about 30 minutes
before cutting into bars.
5. High Protein Oatmeal Cookies
Source: iStock
Care for a cookie? Fix your craving with one of these High Protein Oatmeal Cookies from The Healthy Foodie.
They’re the best of both worlds – you can have your cookie and stick to
your nutrition goals, too. These cookies come with a side of protein
thanks to the three scoops of protein powder on their ingredients list,
and they’re also made with oats, whole-wheat flour, and applesauce,
making them delicious and nutritious. Enjoy your Oatmeal Cookies with
raisins, cranberries, chocolate chips, or nuts, and enjoy the sweet
treat that yields about 140 calories.
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Ingredients:
- 1 cup whole-wheat flour
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 3 scoops vanilla protein powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup unsweetened apple sauce
- ¾ cup egg whites
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup raisins
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
Directions: Preheat
the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large bowl, mix all the dry
ingredients together. In a medium bowl, mix all the wet ingredients
together. Add wet to dry and mix delicately to combine. Fold in raisins,
cranberries and walnuts.
Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a baking sheet lined with
parchment paper. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the cookies start to
turn golden brown. Cool completely on a cooling rack, then transfer to
refrigerator, where the cookies will keep for up to a week.
6. Black Bean Chocolate Protein Truffles
Source: iStock
Our next dessert from Ambitious Kitchen
is one whose ingredients list you should keep to yourself. It contains
one secret ingredient, black beans, but we promise you can’t even taste
them. The black beans will get blended with coconut oil, maple syrup,
cocoa powder, and protein powder to yield delicious chocolate-covered
truffles, and after they harden in the fridge for one half hour, you’ll
only be able to taste the fudge. Don’t knock these Black Bean Chocolate
Protein Truffles before you try them, because we’re warning you, they
taste a little too good for comfort.
Ingredients:
- 1 (15-ounce) can low-sodium or no salt added organic black beans, rinsed and drained, and patted dry
- 1 scoop chocolate protein powder of choice
- 1½ tablespoons coconut oil, plus 1 teaspoon for chocolate coating
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 5 tablespoons good-quality unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3.5 ounces good quality chocolate, chopped
- Toppings, if desired: sprinkles, flaked coconut, and/or chopped nuts
Directions: Place
black beans, 1½ tablespoons coconut oil, and maple syrup in large bowl
of food processor; process until very smooth in consistency. You may
need to scrap down the sides. Slowly add in cocoa powder and chocolate
protein powder if desired. Taste and add more cocoa powder if necessary.
Place truffle batter in fridge for about 20 minutes. After
20 minutes, remove from fridge and form batter into 12 even dough balls;
roll them with your hands like you would roll a sugar cookie. Place
truffles baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place back in
fridge while you make chocolate coating.
Heat chocolate and 1 teaspoon coconut oil in small saucepan
on very low. Stir every so often until chocolate has melted and is
smooth. Remove from heat. Coat each truffle in chocolate by using a fork
or toothpick. Roll in sprinkles, nuts or coconut if desired. Place back
on parchment paper and back to the fridge for 10 minutes.
7. High Protein Cinnamon Cake Bars
Source: iStock
Last but not least: High Protein Cinnamon Cake Bars from Running to the Kitchen.
Rest assured you might just be running to the kitchen to make more of
these. The Cinnamon Cake Bars are reminiscent of coffee cake and they
take only 35 minutes to make. Their ingredients list is clean, starring
oat flour, buckwheat flour, Greek yogurt, and applesauce, and they are
even made with no oil or butter. Healthy baking just got a little more
fun, as did getting in your daily protein.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup oat flour
- ½ cup buckwheat flour
- 2 scoops vanilla whey protein powder
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup turbinado sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 egg
- 1 cup almond milk
- ⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ¼ cup plain greek yogurt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons sugar plus 1 teaspoon cinnamon, set aside
Directions: Preheat
oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease an 8-by-8 pyrex or cake
pan. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Combine remaining
ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Pour wet ingredients
into dry and mix until fully incorporated. Pour half the batter into the
baking dish.
Combine sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle half of the mixture over the
batter until the entire surface is covered. Pour remaining batter on top
and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon sugar mixture. Take a knife and
gently swirl batter around to mix the cinnamon sugar topping into the
cake. Bake for about 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the
center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 to 15 minutes
before slicing. Wrap individually and store in refrigerator.
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